March 19, 2009

Jonathan See Lim AKA Tie One (1979–1998), was a graffiti artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was well known in the graffiti community for his aggressive style of graffiti art and the large amount of work he produced. Lim was born in the Philippines to ethnic-Chinese parents. During his early childhood, his family moved to California. As a youth, Lim expressed an interest in art. He was shot and killed at age 18 on a fire escape outside a Tenderloin apartment at 120 Taylor St., having been taken for a burglar by an armed resident.The resident was not indicted for the killing. In its aftermath, friends of Lim planned a 100-foot memorial mural to him in Mission Dolores Park. The death of Tie One and the subsequent lack of any prosecution in connection with it had a profound and lasting effect on San Francisco's graffiti community.

Tie studied the art he observed on the streets of San Jose, San Francisco and Stockton, California, meeting up with DVS, Meta4, Teez, and the JOA, ATA and SA crews including Minds, Mazon, Kase and the Lords from Modesto, and Reds Crew in San Jose. He rode a Greyhound bus to Los Angeles, getting out and bombing at every stop, and then attending the LA Graffiti show that included art by Twist, Man One and other mixed media work that influenced him. At the show, he met Spie from terror media created, Cokes from Oakland, and Dream, Gyro, and others from the Los Angeles area, whom he admired for work he had seen on the streets and on rail cars in Oakland and Emeryville rail yards. Tie also made a Greyhound graffiti pilgrimage to New York in the same wise.

He frequently returned to San Francisco in a VW Squareback on "bombing runs", sometimes painting all night. In 1998, he was influenced by Barry McGee and MQ. The volume of his work and the circumstances of his death have contributed to his own influence.

On March 18th, 1998, Tie One was shot on the fire escape of a residential building in the San Francisco Tenderloin, and died on the street below; a grand jury returned no charges against the shooter, who said that he shot in self-defense as Lim grabbed at his gun. A 41 year old woman in a parking lot below told police she heard Lim yell, "Wait man, hold on!" The resident disputed this account. His bicycle was on the street below. He was carrying a bag containing a spraycan.

March 16, 2009

Boyagimat recently interviewed BENZ of PH crew about her activities on the streets...

Take note: She may look like Hannah Montana or one of the High School musical chicks- but beware of her invasion of girl power in this egoistic-male dominated street art scene...

Boyagimat: When & how did you start doing graffiti?

Benz: Well I started doing graffiti on walls around early last year (Jan 2008). but ever since I was a little kid, I spent most of my time in school, doodling letters on my notebook.

BA: What does “Benz” represent?

BNZ: “Benz” is actually my second name. Back in high school I used to tag “clipay” and then on my very first graffiti piece, I wrote “soul”. But it just didn’t sound right. Then I just decided to use my real name “Benz”.. And it eventually worked out for me. :)

BA: For you, what is graffiti? And why are you doing this practice?

BNZ: Well for me graffiti is “art for the public”. You discreetly exhibit your works in the streets for people to “see” and not know who did it. It’s mysterious, it’s controversial and it’s exciting. Truth be told, I don’t even know why I do graffiti. I just feel like it’s a big part of who I am. During the day I do my thing, I go to school and go to the gym. But at some nights, I go out with friends and paint illegally.

BA:Who are your influences?

BNZ: Hmm. In the early months of my graffiti experience, I used to hangout with MGR a lot, a writer from San Francisco. We spent most of our time sketching and watching graffiti videos. After a while, I met his friends, Doom, Graver and Rest, which eventually became my crewmates and the people who I kick it with now.

BA:What can you say about “graffiti & street art” as a male dominated arena?

BNZ: Let’s not be sexist here. haha. it just so happened that males are more daring than females (sexist much?) lol. but yea, graffiti isn’t for males only! females have the right to do this too. so girls, if you wanna paint. just go ahead and do it.

BA:Any advantages and disadvantages of being a female in this kind of artistic line?

BNZ: Some disadvantages are, ladies can’t walk and bomb alone at midnight, it’s just not right. But what I like about being a female writer is, you can get away with things easily. Cops wouldn’t immediately suspect that you were writing on walls.

BA: Have you ever been caught?

BNZ: Yes.. Kind of. haha. Was out bombing with Egg and Mgr. Good thing we got to pay our asses off :)

BA:What is your memorable experience in doing this kind of stuff? Or memorable piece?

BNZ: Memorable? dayumm haha. I’ve had a lot. Well to cut the stories short. my graffiti life has basically made me go through a jungle around commonwealth qc, got in a car chase with the authorities around tomas morato, ridden in a police car, accidentally painted a cockroach silver while doing a piece, walked 5kg of my weight off in a week, talked about ghost stories with the authorities who caught us. Most of the time it’s memorable coz most of the time it’s been crazaayyy :)

BA:You seem to be the only active female graffiti artist in Manila, or even in the Philippines- what keeps you moving?

BNZ: Well... It’s not a matter of gender but what keeps me moving is really my passion for graffiti.

BA:Who do you usually tag with? Crew? Etc?

BNZ: I used to always tag and bomb with Mgr. before he left the phils, we decided to create a crew called PH. which included, Doom, Graver and Rest, in time, we chose to add 2 more members to our crew which were Fish and Worm. What we usually do is just hang out, play guitar hero and sometimes drink and skate :) recently, I’ve been bombing with Darko, a member of the Kst crew.

BA:What can you say about the street art / graffiti art scene in Manila and the Philippines in general?

BNZ: The scene is good. it’s growing; a lot of talented writers are emerging left and right. But some are even beefing each other and that’s what’s sad about it, losing respect with other fellow writers :(

BA:What are your future plans as a graffiti artist?

BNZ: My future plans as a graffiti writer? hmm.. maybe to be able to develop my skills and maybe, upgrade to doing eyecandy pieces rather than my eyesore bombings. lol. also, maybe to be able to spread love through art in the streets :)

BA:Can you give some advice to aspiring female graffiti artists out there? Looks like female artists are too shy to go out and do their thing…

BNZ: Do what makes you feel you’re alive. Not just because you exist. if you wanna go out and paint, do it. Pursue the things your passionate about. naks. haha.

BA:Any shout outs?

BNZ: Yeah. I wanna give a shout out to my MOM! haha. To my crewmates Rest, Doom, Graver, Fish, Worm and Mgr. and to all the other crews and writers out there! Darko, Kid Dragon, Drone, KST, SDFK, MSF, and all the others! Thanks Boy Agimat!! More power to the scene!!

There is such a feeling of impending seasonal change here in Tel Aviv. Inspiration comes in with the spring & for the third year, the INSPIRE Collective asks you to show off some inspiration! It’s during these pre-spring months, for the last few years, that we really get working and organized in order to time the show with these weather and seasonal changes as a type of metaphor for inspiration. Join us this year and show off what inspires you!!! It must be noted that most artworks received will be installed and shown in one public location in the streets of urban Tel Aviv. As the weather turns really great here in May,please keep in mind when preparing your works, that this is an outdoor event and the Middle Eastern desert sun should be taken into account. Artworks are recommended to be durable (not easily broken) and somehow protected from the sun during the exhibition’s duration. The last two years of hosting the Inspiration Art Exhibition here in the Middle East have been a great success & each year the size of participating artists and appreciators are growing!

THIS IS AN OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS OF ALL KINDS TO BRING SOME INSPIRATION TO THE MIDDLE EAST! POSTERS, PRINTS, AND CLOTHING ARE THE FOCUS OF THIS YEAR’S SHOW, HOWEVER WE INVITE YOU TO SUBMIT ARTWORKS OF ANY TYPE AS LONG AS IT SHOWS US WHAT INSPIRES YOU! JOIN US & SHOW YOUR ART IN THE STREETS OF TEL AVIV!

(Video, press, and updates about the show's developments will be posted in the INSPIRATION 3 group discussion threads as they happen!)

ALL WORKS (AND FREEBIES TO GIVE OUT) SHOULD BE MAILED TO:

ITWPO BOX 4917TEL AVIV, ISRAEL 61049

(THERE ARE NO SIZE LIMITATIONS, BUT PLEASE WRITE US ABOUT LARGER INSTALLATIONS PREVIOUSLY TO MAILING THEM OFF).

March 02, 2009

“Jack’d in da Hood” has a jumbo beef with Shepherd Fairey and Obey Giant Art, Inc. “They’re exploitive media whores jacking references from historic cultures for their own selfish interests. The Phantom Street Artist explains Shepard Fairey “does not represent the voice of the populace but he is the voice of the Elitist Media disguised.” He is nothing other then a consumer being consumedbuying media time buying publicity buying legal representation to justify his infringed violations buying everything to present himself as a legit street artist.The Phantom Street Artist goes on to explain, that Modern mass media, Network, museums and galleries are often historically used by hegemonic institutions to seduce public and popular opinion. Shepard Fairey recent Retrospective at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston on February 6th 2009 is an example of a conjured 20 year retrospective. The ICA was once a reputable Museum which haschosen to support over a decade of Fairey's unapologetic infringed actions. The Phantom Street Artist was quoted in review of my performance as a cultural critique whether it be a staged act or a fight in the cage interest is interested in initiating a debate which critically goes beyond the valuation of a given work of art, forcing one to question, modify, develop, refine one'sown independent value system.“It is a sign of the degeneration of our society and culture which is beingconformed by mediocrity by the likes of Shepard Fairey and OBEY as well as hispublication SWINDLE as the true life metaphor to inveigle beliefs systems andvalues all in the interest of mammon.”